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Dedova N.A. [Cluster organization of the semantic field of the image-metaphor of the anti-utopian novel] World of Science. Series: Sociology, Philology, Cultural Studies, 2023, Vol. 14, No. 2. Available at: https://sfk-mn.ru/PDF/12FLSK223.pdf (in Russian).

Cluster organization of the semantic field of the image-metaphor of the anti-utopian novel

Dedova Natalia Aleksandrovna
Smolensk State University, Smolensk, Russia
E-mail: pshenjannikvanatali23@gmail.com

Abstract. This article is devoted to the analysis of the semantic field of the image-metaphor of the anti-utopian novel (based on the works of O. Huxley «Brave New World» and «The Monkey and Essence», J. Orwell «1984» and R. Bradbury «451 degrees Fahrenheit») with the help of cluster analysis. The article under consideration represents part of the results of the dissertation research. Semantic field is a certain set of diagnostic semantic features organized into a certain structure with a help of the statistical method — cluster analysis. The semantic field reveals two aspects: a system of semantic features as structural components of the semantic field and cluster relationships between these characteristics. Within the framework of the first aspect, we identified twelve semantic features, divided into five semantic plans: «categorical», «anthropological», «social», «naturalistic» and «ontological». The second aspect involves the grouping of the above features into clusters opposed to each other, with a help of the statistical method — cluster analysis. Features belonging to the same cluster are connected by positive relationships, and features belonging to different clusters form oppositions. Within each cluster, we identified nexus and peripheral features. Nexus features are correlated with each other by relevant positive correlations. Further, we have identified four parameters for the implementation of a comparative analysis of the semantic fields of the anti-utopian novel: (1) cluster variability of the semantic space; (2) indicative variability of clusters with respect to direct and figurative subjects; (3) nexus variability of clusters; (4) variability of oppositions of clusters. The semantic spaces of image-metaphors of the considered anti-utopian novels were ranked, depending on the degree of their structure according to the above four types of variability. The leading position is occupied by O. Huxley’s novel «Ape and Essence». The next position is occupied by the novels of R. Bradbury «451 degrees Fahrenheit», J. Orwell’s «1984» and O. Huxley’s «Brave New World». At the final stage, the results obtained were connected with the plot lines of the novels. The above ranking corresponds to the degree of apocalyptic storyline in the anti-utopian novels.

Keywords: image-metaphor; direct and figurative subjects; anti-utopian novel; semantic field; semantic features; nexus of cluster; periphery of cluster

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